Services set for ‘Wheel of Fortune’s’ Charlie O’Donnell

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Charlie O’Donnell, center, was the “Wheel of Fortune” announcer for more than 26 years. He is seen here with wife Ellen, and voice-over artist Randy West, who said O’Donnell was “a gentle man, with endless caring, humor and compassion, and always ready with a joke and a word of encouragement.”

Charlie O’Donnell had a mastery of delivery and timing when it came to announcing. So it was no surprise to learn he will take one last “great ride” on Nov. 10 – a perfect way for his service to remember the man who spent 1964-67 as an “11-10” man at KRLA-AM radio in Los Angeles.

O’Donnell, 78, died Sunday night in his sleep at his home in Sherman Oaks of apparent heart failure. His service will be at 10 a.m. Nov. 10 at St. Charles Church, 10850 Moorpark St., North Hollywood.

O’Donnell was the familiar voice on TV’s “Wheel of Fortune” for three decades. The show is taped weeks ahead of airdates and, ironically, O’Donnell was off from shows airing this week, replaced by “Jeopardy” announcer Johnny Gilbert.

“Charlie was by far one of the greatest show announcers ever,” said his friend and agent Fred Wostbrock. “He gave life to that copy on ‘Wheel.’ Even the way he said ‘Wheeeel of Fortune’ started the excitement in the first two seconds of the game. He was as much a part of that show as Vanna White and Pat Sajak, and Charlie was with the original ‘Wheel’ with Chuck Woolery and Susan Stafford,” he said.

O’Donnell also had a very successful career in Los Angeles radio. He called it “a great ride” in a 2004 interview with LARadio.com historian Don Barrett.

“Charlie knew early on that he wanted to make radio his life’s work. When he was 12 or 13 his sister was working in downtown Philly across the street from radio station KYW,” Barrett said. “She was asked to be part of a team representing her company, DuPont, in a citywide spelling bee. She asked Charlie if he would like to go along to see a live radio show.

“When they arrived he was impressed with the well-appointed studio and once they were seated, a handsome man came out to the stage microphone and talked briefly with the audience, telling them what to expect and not to help the contestants. Theme music started and the man put his hand to his ear, ï¿½ la Gary Owens, and opened the show.

O’Donnell told Barrett, “I said to myself, ‘That’s what I want to do.'” He would later join Dick Clark on TV’s “American Bandstand” in Philadelphia, and was one of three people invited to be part of the move of “Bandstand” to the West Coast, Clark confirmed to Barrett in 2004.

KRLA – 1110 AM – was in a Top 40 battle with KFWB in 1964, Barrett wrote at his www.LARadio.com. Program director Reb Foster hired O’Donnell for 9 a.m. to noon, replacing Ted Quillin.

The highlight of his KRLA years took place in 1964, when Bob Eubanks produced a Beatles concert at the Hollywood Bowl. O’Donnell and the “11-10” DJs were to introduce them.

“We looked out at 18,000 screaming kids and these guys were nervous,” O’Donnell recalled to Barrett. “I had experience with live stage shows, TV and appearing in front of an audience. But I wasn’t ready for this. Bob Eubanks told me to go out first since I was physically the biggest in case they threw anything. We had no idea what we were going to do.”

So the story goes, O’Donnell was first on stage, telling the fans to have fun but don’t rush the stage. He introduced the other DJs and as a group they introduced the Beatles.

“It was absolutely hysterical at the time,” O’Donnell said in the 2004 interview. “I don’t think anyone heard the Beatles singing. It reminded me of being on a runway with five jet engines starting at the same time. It was so loud I couldn’t hear a thing. It was so loud, but what a night!

“We had an armored truck as a decoy and when it was over, some of our guys ran for the truck and went down the hill,” he told Barrett. “Kids and the press were convinced that the Beatles were inside. Meanwhile Jim Steck, one of our newsmen, removed the backseat of his Volkswagen. The Beatles climbed in and we covered them with a tarp and we had them safely to their hotel within 10 minutes.”

O’Donnell is survived by his wife Ellen, four children, and two grandchildren.